Damaged mitochondrial signals that cause liver scarring in NASH
Official title: Mitochondrial DAMPs-driven Mechanisms of Liver Fibrosis in NASH
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11312594 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether pieces of damaged mitochondria (mitochondrial DNA) trigger liver scarring in people with NASH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $682,579 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK139288-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312594 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or biopsy-proven NASH, especially those with signs of liver inflammation or fibrosis who can provide blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
People whose liver disease is caused by alcohol or unrelated conditions, or those without liver inflammation, are less likely to benefit from findings focused on NASH.
What this research studies
If I took part, researchers would measure mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in blood from people with NASH and compare those levels to lab results. They will use newly developed sensitive tests to detect mtDNA, create biologically active mtDNA for experiments, and expose liver cells and animal models to those mitochondrial signals. The team will study how release of mtDNA depends on the ASK1 protein and how mtDNA activates the STING pathway to turn on scar-producing hepatic stellate cells. By linking patient samples with cell and animal work, they aim to pinpoint a specific trigger of fibrosis in NASH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or slow liver scarring in NASH by blocking mtDNA-driven signals.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown mitochondrial DNA can trigger inflammation, but using mtDNA and the ASK1–STING pathway specifically to explain and treat NASH fibrosis is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Popov, Yury — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Popov, Yury
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.